#1 Cochran - did #2 on Service

...or, Customer Service is Dead

So I got the call on Thursday (actually an email) that my replacement car. I've been dealing with this mess since February 19 and was just waiting for it all to end. After talking with them yesterday, I was to come in this a.m. at 9:30 to take care of all of the paperwork and get going.

I got in there at 9:30, checked out the new car (sweet) and it had everything that I had originally contacted to buy in February (that they were unable to provide for my car) and I said "It looks good, lets go."

The General Sales Manager (heretofore referred to as Pompous Windbag or PW), gave his speech, as he has time and time again to me, about how much work he put into "getting Nissan to do the right thing." Never mind the fact that they were the ones that promised something they couldn't deliver. I listened, and commented sparingly, just trying to get through it (like sitting in a catholic wedding) so I could be on my way.

Anyways, PW takes me to the finance lady to seal the deal and buy back my car to replace it with the new car. I was in her office, and she goes on to show me how my payments wouldn't increase, but then I noticed that the finance amount was $2,100 MORE than what I had left on my car. I said "wait a minute, how is that working???" She said "oh, your interest rate is lower, at 3.9% instead of 5.5% over 48 months."

Hold up, "you mean that I'm starting to pay for this car from scratch??? and that I have to pay for 48 months when I've already made 7 car payments???"

"Yep, so this will be your car payment..."

"Hold on, we have a problem here"

What they basically were trying to do was do it like a new car purchase and only give me $14,000 for my car. This is 14k for a 5 month old, 22k car???? Even the book value with the miles on it for trade is $16,750 and he wants to give me $14,000?? Bull shit. Their retail value (what they can sell it for) is $19,725. So they were trying to pull a 6k profit on this arrangement.

So they fought with me over this, and I sat there for an hour dealing with THAT shit. Then PW was on the phone for a half hour with his manager while I sat and fumed in the dealership. He told me that I was being unreasonable. I finally thought, "Am I???" J said no. Dad said no. My heart said "NO F'ing way!"

So PW comes back and says, "we'll give you 1k more take it or leave it."

I finally said "I'm not losing any more than 500$ in this. You know what? The BBB told me that I should file a claim in court regarding this breach of contract. Do you know how much THAT's going to cost you in legal fees for this deal? Much more than the $2,100 you are trying to f' me for."

PW said, "We're done here. I'm going to put the car out for sale"

And I said, "Fine, but you tell your manager that I said I was only willing to bend 500$ here...and that the better business bureau recommended I file suit. Call me later and let me know what happens." Then I walked out.

Oh, and not to mention, I had already talked to, and gotten both the salesman and the finance manager turned against the general manager. I told them what he was trying to do and the finance lady was like "oh no. That’s just not right." They were trying to pull a profit off of this deal. I had to keep reiterating to the PW to stop trying to profit from this and try to repair what was messed up in February.

On the way out of the door, I ran into an elderly lady who was going there to shop and I told her what happened and warned her against going in. She looked scared! The other sales team heard me saying that. They also heard me earlier when I was on the phone and said, "I don't care if I have to stand across the street with a sandwich board for a month. This WILL cost them more than they would ever stand to lose here today."

Then I got the plate off of the new car and put it back on my car. As I got into my car, PW comes running out of the dealership holding out his hand, "HOLD ON!!! My manager agreed ... we can do this." I thought "no shit dickwad, you're the one that will lose if I walk off of the lot now. "

So then we sat for a half hour before the finance lady was available again. We did the closing, and I am ok with what is to be.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not naive enough to believe what the PW said and that Cochran lost money in this deal. They definitely profited from me on the sale today and on my trade (and don't forget the initial sale and trade). I didn't lose anything in this either. The $600 that I conceded to today will be recouped due to 1) the reduced interest rate, 2) the new registration on this car (which is about 10 months ahead of my old one), 3) the fact that I never got the oil changed on the old one (I'd not reached the mileage yet), 4) The empty tank of gas that I gave them the car back with (Seriously; Fumes. The distance to empty indicator was all blanks), and 5) the peace of mind that this relationship with Cochran is over and now if there's a problem, I will go to my new dealership and service center as needed.

One other thing that you have to understand, is that my usual irish temper did NOT come out during this. I held on to my anger and talked firmly and calmly to them. I'm very proud of me for that. Any other time and I might have gone postal and wrecked his office.

I also encourage any other Pittsburghers to avoid #1 Cochran like the plague. Oh, and by the way, Wright Nissan has much better service and service hours (they even have Saturday and Sunday hours!).

Labels: daily life, stupidity

1 comments from the peanut gallery ·